Type-writer cabinet



Patented Nov. I, I898.

J. V. HEMSTHEET. TYPE WRITER CABINET.

No. s|s,270.

(Application filed May 2, 1898.)

(No Model.)

W n W R I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN V. HEMSTREET, OF HERKIMER, NEW YORK.

TYPE-WRITER CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,270, dated November1, 1898.

Application filed May 2, 1898. Serial No. 6'79 ,492. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN V. HEMSTREET, a citizen of the United States,residing at Herkimer, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Type-Writer Cabinets, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of cabinets for type-Writers whichembody a swinging shelf for supportiug the machine and one or moresprings arranged to cushion the downward movement of the shelf when thecabinet is closed and assist in the upward movement of the shelf whenthe cabinet is opened.

The general object of the invention is to provide a shelf cushioning andraising spring designed more particularlyfor use in the cabinetdisclosed in the Letters Patent of Michael Foley, dated September 21,1897, and numbered 590,540; and it consists in the peculiar andadvantageous construction and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodimentof my invention, Figure l is a transverse section of a typewritercabinet embodying my invention with the lid closed and the machine-shelfand other parts in the position they assume when the lid is closed. Fig.2 is an elevation of the opposite side of the side wall shown in Fig. 1with the movable arm of the spring illustrated by full and dotted linesin the positions it assumes when the shelf is down and up, respectively.Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken perspective showing in detail a portion ofthe side wall, the shelf and lateral arm thereof, and the springarranged to be engaged by said arm.

In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts inall of the several Views, referring to which- A is the side wall of atype-writer cabinet, which is similar to and equipped like the oppositewall. (Not shown.)

B is the lid.

0 is the swinging machine-shelf.

D is a swingingbracket connected to shelf 0 and pivotally connected withthe side wall A.

E is a lever fulcrumed at a on the wall A and having the short arm 19'connected by a link 0 with the bracket D and the long arm-d pivotallyconnected with the shelf G.

The parts thus far described are similar in construction and arrangementto the corresponding parts of the Foley patented construction aforesaid.Consequently when the lid is moved rearwardly and downwardly by theoperator until it assumes a vertical or approximately vertical positionthe swinging shelf 0 will, through the medium of lever E, link 0, andbracket D, be raised and moved forwardly to a horizontal position, so asto carry the machine into close proximity to the operator sitting at thecabinet. Also the leverage afiorded by lever E and bracket D will enablethe operator to move the lid to its vertical position and raise theshelf to its hori* zontal position with but a minimum amount of effort,and the lever will also enable the lid to retain the shelf in itshorizontal position when the machine is on said shelf without the aid ofany auxiliary weight. This is due to the fact that when the shelf 0 israised to its horizontal position the fulcrum-point a of lever E and thepivotal connection of said lever to the link 0 will rest in the same orapproximately the same horizontal plane and the further fact that arearward movement must attend the downward movement of the shelf. Suchrearward movement of the shelf is effectually prevented by thearrangement of the fulcrum a of lever E and the pivotal connection ofsaid lever to link a in the same horizontal plane when the shelf is in ahorizontal position, and consequently the shelf cannot be lowered untilthe lid is raised to move the arm 19 of thelever and thereby move thepivotal connection of said lever to the link 0 downwardly from thehorizontal plane of the fulcrum a of the lever.

F are drawer-cleats on the side of the wall A opposite to that shown inFig. 1.

G is the spring for cushioning the downward movement of the shelf andassisting in the raising of the same, which spring is preferablyarranged at the drawer side of the wall A. H is a curvilinear slot inwall A, and I is an arm or lateral projection on the shelf 0, whichextends through the slot H and is raised to engage one leaf or arm 6 ofthe spring G. The said spring G is prefer- .ably of the constructionshown in Figs. 2 and 3that is to say, it comprises the body-coil f,which terminates at one end in an arm or leaf g, which is connected to ablock h on one of the drawer-cleats F or is otherwise connected with theside wall A and the arm or leaf 6 aforesaid, which is arranged to beengaged by the lateral projection I of the shelf 0. The spring G is ofsuch size and strength and is so arranged that when it is spent orexpanded to its fullest extent its arm 0 will rest in the position shownby dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the arm or projection I on the shelf 0 isso arranged that when the shelf 0 is in its horizontal position and thefulcrum a of lever E and the pivotal connection of said lever to thelink 0 are in the same horizontal plane it will rest in the positionshown by dotted lines in Fig. 2-that is to say, beyond and out ofengagement with the arm a of the spring. In virtue of this it will beobserved that the operator is enabled to raise the lid B and move thearm Z) of the lever E to carry the pivotal connection of said lever tothe link 0 downwardly from the horizontal plane of the fulcrum a beforethe projection I of the shelf impinges against the leaf 6 of the springand the said shelf is subjected to the pressure of or cushioned by thespring. This is an important advantage, for it will be readily perceivedthat if the spring were arranged to bear against the arm I of the shelfwhen said shelf is in its horizontal position it would be exceedinglyhard for the operator by raising the lid B to move the arm bof the leverE to carry the pivotal connection of the same to the link 0 downwardfrom the horizontal plane of the fulcrum a and move the shelf rearwardand downward, as described. The relative arrangement of the projection Iof the shelf and the spring G when the shelf is in its horizontalposition is also advantageous, because the spring is relieved ofpressure and is at rest, which materially conduces to its durability.

In practice when the shelf is lowered and the projection I reaches andengages the spring G the spring will cushion the shelf and prevent thesame from dropping back suddenly in the event of the operator losingcontrol of the lid. The spring or springs approximately balance theshelf and the machine thereon when said shelf is half-way down in thewell of the cabinet, and in consequence they will not only cushion thedownward movement of the shelf, but will assist in the upward movementof the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a type-writercabinet,the combination with the side wall of the cabinet, a machine-vshelf pivotally connected with said wall and having an arm projectingthrough a curvilinear slot in said wall, a lid, a lever fulcrumed at anintermediate point of its length on the side wall of the cabinet andhaving a long arm pivotally connected with the lid, and a link connectedwith the shelf and pivotally connected with the lever in advance of thefulcrum-point thereof, the whole being so arranged that, when the shelfis raised to its horizontal position, the pivotal connection of thelever to the link and the fulcrum-point of said lever will rest in thesame or approximately the same horizontal plane with the former inadvance of the latter; of a spring connected with the cabinet and havingan arm or leaf arranged in the path of the arm of the shelf; said springbeing of such size and strength and being so arranged that when theshelf is in its horizontal position, its said arm or leaf will rest inadvance of and out of engagement with the arm of the shelf,substantially as specified.

2. In a typewriter cabinet,the combination with a side wall having acurvilinear slot, a machine-shelf pivotally connected with the side walland having an arm projecting through said slot, and a lid, said shelfand lid being connected together and with the side wall substantially asdescribed; of a spring for cushioning the downward movement of the shelfand assisting in the upward movement thereof; said spring having an armor leaf designed to be engaged by the arm of the shelf and being of suchsize and strength and so arranged that, when the shelf is in itshorizontal position, the said arm or leaf will rest in advance of andout of engagement withthe arm of the shelf, as set forth.

In a type-writer cabinet, the combination with a side wall of a cabinet,a machineshelf pivotally connected with the wall, a lid, a leverfulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length on the side wall of thecabinet and having a long arm pivotally connected with the lid, and alink connected with the shelf and pivotally connected with the lever inadvance of the fulcrum-point thereof, the whole being so arranged thatwhen the shelf is raised to its horizontal position the pivotalconnection of the lever to the link and the fulcrumpoint of said leverwill rest in the same or approximately the same horizontal plane withthe former in advance of the latter; of a spring disposed in the path ofthe shelf for cushioning the downward movement and assisting in theupward movement thereof; the said spring being entirely spent and idleand resting out of engagement with the shelf when the same is in itshorizontal position, substantially as specified.

4. In a type-writer cabinet, the combination with a side wall, amachine-shelf, and a lid, said shelf and lid being connected togetherand with the side wall substantially as and for the purpose described;of a spring disposed in the path of the shelf for cushioning thedownward movement and assisting in the upward movement thereof; the saidspring being entirely spent and idle when the shelf is in its horizontalposition, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN V. IIEMSTREET. \Vitnesses:

CHAs. S. BREWER, OSCAR R. WHITEHEAD.

